Electric iron



G. BROWNING ELECTRIC IRON Filed Aug. 15. 1925 3 Sheets-Shes*v 1 April 1o, 192s.

zo@ Y April 1o, 192s. 1,665,768

G. BROWNlNG ELECTRIC IRON Fi1edAuz.l5. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 for Heya April l0, 1928. 1,665,768

G. BRowNlNG ELECTRIC IRON Filed Aus:.15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 4, 17 fzdefzor ygerozanzwg. M655 Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. N

GEORGE IBROWNING, F WILHETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 CHICAGO FLEXIBLE Slm COIPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. i

ELECTRIC IBN.

Application led August 15, 1925.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction in an electric iron with the articular purpose of alording in one implement a relatively large and a relatively small iron deriving heat from one heating unit. It consists in the elementi;

and features of construction shown and dcscribed as indicated in the claims.

This invention is designed to providel a construction amounting to two irons in one,

the smaller iron being adapted to be used a art from the electrical heating means, and,

i desired, to be otherwise heated, the main part fronrwhich the smaller iron is thus separable constituting an electric stove on which said smaller iron may be lodged for heating in the momentary,-0r longenintervals of use, said smaller iron constituting a art of the larger one when it is thus lo ged and secured, and affording by its own handle the handle for the larger iron of which it is thus a part.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire device including the -smaller iron locked in plate on the base member to constitute the complete larger iron.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a partly sectional side elevation section being in a middle longitudinal vertical plane.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the plug socket tilted back releasin the smaller iron which is shown, partly lifted ofi' the base.

Figure 5 is a top plan of the base member which has the operating face of the larger iron, the smaller iron and the plug socket being removed.

Figure 6 is a section at the line 6 6 on Figure 5. p

Figure 7 is a section at the line 7-7 on Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a forward side elevation oi the plug socket member.

i Figure 9 is a partly 'sectional upper cud view of the same as at thev plane indicated by the line 99 on Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a section at the line 10--10 on Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the heating member removed from the base.

Figure 12 is a section at the line 12-12 oli-Figure 11.

' a casting l Serial No. 50,368.

Figure 13 is a detailvsection at the line 13-13 on Figure 11'.

Figure 14 is an enlarged detail part of the section shown in Figure 3.

The implement comprises, as above indicated, a base member which has the smoothing face of the larger iron. This base member, 1, is integral as to a lower or base portlon, 1, and an upper or flange portion, 1b, which are separated by a horizontal sl'ot, 3, which is milled in theoriginal casting, extending acrors the front, as seen at 3*, and along both sides, leaving standing connected the base portion and the lange, a neck, 1c, formed. hollow with an upwardly open cavity, l, for lightening the member. At the rear end or heel of the base it is rabbeted at the upper side, as seen at 4, the rabbet extending down to the plane of the lower side of the slot, 3, and being about three-quarters of an inch wide. This rabbet serves` for mounting the heel bar, 10, to

which the plug socket member, 11, is hinged,

-as hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

Theheating element comprises a sheet metal mount or support, 4, on which is lodged the heating element proper consisting of a high resistance coil, 5, and the enclosing mica sheets, 6, 6. The sheet metal mount, 4, is shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the slot, 3, as to the front and side portions thereof, being thereby fork-shaped or U-shaped, and ada ted when the mica-enclosed coils are lodge upon it, to be inserted from the forward end of the iron into the slot, 3, its two wings or branches passing down alongside the neck, 1c, and extending onto the horizontal fa'ce of the rabbet, as seen at 4".- This sheet metal mount, 4, has a marginal flange, 4, of suitable width to guard the edge of the heating element and close the slot, 3, when the heating member as. a whole is slid into place in said slot.

Beside this narrow marginal flange the sheet 4, has a short upstanding part 4" extendin over the toe 0f the smaller iron, 20, when t ie latter is lodged on the upper surface of the base member, :1s-seen in several figures of the drawings.

The plug socket member, 11, is shown as (though it may be formed otherwise) w ich is hinged to the heel bar, 10, by lugs, 11, 11a, of said plug socket member exinsulating plug terminal of the circuit core,l

the contact pins, 13, 13, from Whose lower ends inside the lugs 11a, contact terminals, 14, 14, extend rearward and downward bein guarded from short-circuiting contact with the metal of the socket member at the back side thereof by a mica strip, 15, which is extended between said terminals and the back web of the socket member-,and at the forward side by a mica member, 15, which is held in place under the heel bar, 10, by which it is clamped onto the rear end portions of the top mica sheet of the heating element andY onto the otherwise exposed portion just back of thev reflexed end portion, 17, of the contact terminals, 17, 17, of the heating coil, said ends being exposed for contact with the terminals, 14, 14. The heating coil is provided with these terminals, 17, 17,

which protrude from between the enclosing mica sheets and are reliexed over the end of the upper one in order to expose said terminals under the terminals, 14, 14, as stated, the latter terminals being formed as substantially cylindrical knobs co-axial with the hinge pivot of the socket members whose access inthe boss, 10, is a little distance above the plane of the protruding coil terminals, 17,l 17 so that the reacting of the plug socket member about its hinge pivot, does not dis.- turb the contact of said knob terminals with the terminals, 17, 17 of the heating coil.

The slight crevice between the hinge boss, 10c, ofthe heel bar, 10, and the foot of the socket member, 11, is guarded by the metal strip, 15jto prevent intrusion of anything into touch'with the terminals, 14,' 14, which vmight short ycircuit the current. For similarly'guarding the terminals at the forward side ofthe. plug socket member, the heel bar, l10, has a flange, 19, curved about the hinge pivot axis and with which, therefore, the forward lower side of the plug socket member', 11,'maintains contact or close approximation throughout the rocking of the socket member about its hinge connection, while the flange, 11, screens the contact ter'- minals against any short circuiting contact.

The smaller iron, 20, is complete in itself for the function of a smoothing iron, having a handle, 21; detachably secured by screws, 22, 22. The toe of the small iron is iron will have restoredthe heat lost alternate intervals of use.

adapted to engage as'described above, under the hood, 4d, at the toe of the base member; and for locking it to the base member at thtl rear end, the plug socket has a. forwardly projecting latch or the like, 20, which engages with the lower-marginal edge of an aperture, 23, in the rear stem, 23, of the handle when the plug socket member is rocked forwardly about its hinge pivot; and said plug socket member has forwardly projecting spring fingers, 11", between which the rear post, 23, of the handle, 21, of the smaller iron is engaged when the plugsocket is swung forward to engage the latch, 20, with the handle stem as described.

For convenience in this operation the plug socket has a handle lug, 25, provided with a non-metallic knob, 25,-wood or fibre; and a release lever, 26, pivoted on the post, 23, and extending against` the plug socket between the spring lingers, 11, serves for conveniently' dis/engaging the `spring fingers from the handle of the smaller iron.

From the foregoing description, it may be understood that when it is desired to employ a relatively heavy and relatively broad-faced iron, as in ironing large and lsmooth articles, commonly called in laundry phraseology fiat work,-the small iron will be locked in place on the base member and will`thereby become the handle means for operating the implement as a whole, and that the small iron will become heated and contribute not only its weight and the service of a handle, but also will constitute a heat reservoir causing the instrument as a whole to hold the heat longer and be thereby adapted for the service of smoothing large moist areas, over which the iron may be manipulated rapidly without lowering its temperature more rapidly than it can be replenished by the heating coil. vBut when thc operator passes from flatwork to the small and more or less complex articles, as lingerie, ruiied and tripped garments which require frequent setting down of the iron to manipulate the fabric for giving the iron access to the intricacies of the garment, the smaller iron will be disengaged from the base which, resting on a suitable stand, serves as a heating stove on which the smaller iron would 4be set down in each movement or longer interval of use required for adjusting the goods; and thus in the intervals the smallr in t e It will be seen, therefore, that this invention provides two tools in one, adapted respectively, for the diiferent sorts and conditions of laundry work arising in an ordinary varied assortment of articles constituting the ordinary family wash.

I claim L 1. An electric laundryiron and having a base member with the smoothing the like face comprising integrally an upper and a lower portion, said base member being slotted edgewise parallel to the smoothing face inward from the front end, and from the opposite longitudinal sides forming between said upper and lower portions a horizontally extending pocket for the electric heating element, in combination with said element inserted edgewise into said pocket, and means for securing it therein.

2. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the heating element comprising a sheet metal support and mica-clad resistance coils lodged on said support, the margin of the sheet metal support being flanged for enclosing the heating coils and closing the mouth of the slot in the base melnber, wherein the heating member is inserted.

3. In the construction defined in claim l, foregoing, the heating element comprising a sheet metal support and metal-clad resistance coils lodged on said support, the support having an up-turned flange extending up past the forward end of the part of the base member above the edge slot therein, and relexed inwardly thereabove to constitute an engagement for a handle means.

4. In a structure as defined in claim 1, the base member being fiat on top, a handle means in the form of a complete independently usable iron dimensioned for seating on the flat top of the base member, 'the heating element havin a flange extending up outside the part o the base member above the slot past the thickness of said part and in-turned for engaging the toe of the iron which constitutes the handle means.

5. In combination with the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, a handle member in the form of a complete independentl usable iron dimensioned for seating upon the top of the base member, the latter having means at the toe end for engaging the toe of said handle iron; a member hinged to the rear end of the base member; insulated contact terminals for the heating coils carried by said hinged member, the latter having means at its forward side for engaging the rear end of the handle iron when said hinged member is swung up toward the handle iron and adapted to release the latter when swung back therefrom, said hinged member having means releasably engaging the handle of the handle iron to hold said hinged member at the first mentioned engaged position.

6. An electric iron comprising a bottom member having the bottom working face of the iron, and having enclosed in it an electric heating element, and comprising a complete separably usable iron with a handle and smoothing body, said separable iron being detachably mounted on the bottom member for being heated thereby, and affording handlev means for the combined members; the bottom member comprising at the heel end thereof a plug socket member hinged to the heel end and at the toe end means for engaging the toe of the separable iron; the latter and the hinged plug socket member having co-operating features relatively positioned for engagement when the hinged member is swung up to working position for holding the separable iron securely on the bottom member.

7. An electric iron comprising a bottom member having the bottom working face of the iron, and having enclosed in it an electric heating element, and comprising a complete separably usable iron with a handle and smoothing body, said separable iron being .detachably mounted on the bottom member for being heated thereby, and affording handle means for the combined members; the bottom member comprising at the heel end thereof aplug socket member hinged to the heel end and at the toe end means for engaging the toe of the separable iron; the latter and the hinged plug Socket member having co-operating features relatively positioned for engagement when the hinged member is swung up to working posivtion for holding the separable iron securely on the bottom member, said engaging means comprising a spring catch carried by the hinged plug socket member adapted to automatically engage the rear stem of the handle of the removable iron, and disengaging means also by said hinged part movable thereon for crowding against the handle stem to forcibly release the hinged part from the handle.

8. An electric iron comprisin member having the bottom worklng face of the iron, and having enclosed in it an electric heating element, and comprising a complete separably usable iron with a handle and smoothing" body, said separable iron being detachably mounted on the bottom member for being heated thereby, and affording handle means for the combined members; the bottom member comprising at the heel end thereof a plug socket member hinged thereto for releasably engaging the heel end of the separable iron, the heating element in the bottom member having circuit terminals exposed upwardly under the hinge ivot line of said hinged plug socket memer, the contact pins of the plug socket comprising substantially cylindrical enlargements axially aligned with the hinge pivot a bottoml and diametered for contact with said heat- ,y

ing element terminals respectively throughout the range of the hinge movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day GEORGE BROWNING.

.of July, 1925. 

